Restaurant Guide 2013: Sen Yai

[NOODLE ON] Sen Yai noodle house
exists because of a coconut shortage. Andy Ricker originally planned to
put a curry-centric restaurant in the former Kappaya space two blocks
from his original Pok Pok restaurant, scrapping the plan when he failed
to find a reliable source for coconut meat. No one who’s had the supple
namesake noodle at Sen Yai is in a position to complain. This bright
blue-green building decorated with Thai cooking posters and soundtracked
by Thai pop music makes good use of them in phat sii ew($11), a
dish that’s a lot like familiar drunken noodles, wok-fried to a slight
char with small pieces of pork and sliced Chinese broccoli stalks and
tops. My dining companion was similarly impressed with bamii tom
yam muu haeng ($12.50), wheat noodles served with broth on the side and
topped with crumbled pork, dry pork medallions, chili vinegar and long
beans that she compared to the newly departed Wafu’s much-missed abura
soba. A pair of rice dishes includes another standout, kai kaphrao khai
dao ($12.50), fried bits of minced chicken and long beans flavored with
onion, basil and soy sauce served alongside a big pile of jasmine rice
and the runny yolk of a fried egg to glue it together. Sen Yai’s
breakfast menu is its biggest revelation, though. Soup is breakfast in
much of Southeast Asia, which is why Portland’s best pho shops open by 9
am. Ricker offers three bowls, along with toast, custard, runny eggs
and a steamed pork bun. Thankfully Ricker found enough coconuts for the
sangkhaya ($4 with toast), a rich coconut custard flavored with the
pandan leaf that makes Pok Pok’s drinking water so great. I’d gladly buy
a bucket of it to dip thick, lightly toasted slabs of rich white bread
from An Xuyen Bakery.